Center Would Teach Saleable Job Skills

This is the first in a series of articles explaining the bonding and millage questions that will confront voters in the June 8 school election. On June 8, voters of the Washtenaw Intermedíate School District will have a second chance (and according t o Intermedíate District Superintendent Nick A. Ianni, probably the last chance this decade) to approve a countywide vocational education center, designed primarily for secondary students. An identical one-mill issue was defeated at the polls in December of 1968 by a nearly 3-to-l margin. Iannisayshefeels the upcoming election will be the "last opportunity" to establish a countywide vocational center, probably for the remainder of the 1970s. He explains that it is the intent of most local school districts to "reduce their staffs accordingly" - meaning especially the people working on the vocational center - if the issue fails. Vocational education would then get "very little consideration," he predicts, because existing programs would get priority. Here are the most commonly asked questions about the proposed center, which is expected to be located on the campus of Washtenaw Community College: What is it? An area vocational center is a facility used cooperatively by students from all participating high schools in Washtenaw County who want to develop saleable job skills. How would it work? High school students would attend the center on a half-day basis during the llth and 12th grades. (Adults would also be able to attend the center in the evening and during the summers.) All other classes for secondary students, as well as extracurricular activities, would be taken at t he home school during the other half day. Students would gradúate from their home high schools. Would parochial students be allowed to attend? Yes, the area program would be open to all students in the county. When would the program begin? I The center is expected to be in full operation in two to three years. Some interim vocational programs would begin immediately, however, in existing high school labs and classrooms. Wbat vocational program would be offered? Automotive mechanics, building and ground maintenance, business machine repair and service, carpentry and millwork, commercial foods preparation and service, data processing machines and operations, drafting electrical repair and maintenance, industrial machine repair and maintenance, industrial machine shop operation, retail sales, secretarial and office machine operation. Other occupations w h i c h might be offered include: auto body repair, cosmetology, farm equipment mechanics, horticulture and floriculture, electroni c s , medical-clinical office assisting, nursing aide, prenursing, weiding and printing. Our school has an industrial program. What would happen to these classes? Individual high schools would continue to provide basic exploratory industrial arts classes. The classes would serve both as a part of the general education program and as preparatory classes for vocational courses offered through the Area Vocational Program. Certain vocational classes, such as home economics and auto mechanics, would be continued at the high schools which now offer such courses. Would there be an age limit for students attending? No. During the daytime, however, high school students would have preference. The center would also be available f c r adult education, job upgrading, apprenticeship and other post-high school training. , How many students would be served? Approximately 2,000 students are expected to attend when the center is in full operation. This is about 25 per cent of the total llth and 12th grade enrollment in the county. Some 800-900 Ann Arbor students are expected to enroll by the mid-1970s. Who would own the program facilities? The Washtenaw Intermedíate School District would hold title to the center. The Washtenaw Community College would opérate the program through a contract with the Intermedíate District What would it cost to construct and equip the center? $5 mililon (including local and federal monies). Where would the money come from? A countywide levy of one mili, plus federal funds, which would pay for about 50 per cent of construction and equipment costs and 20 per cent of annual operating costs. The annual operating cost is pegged at $800,000 to $1 million. What is the projected operating cost of the center? $500 per student per year. In Ü965, we were spending $1,800 per year to keep a delinquent youth in a detention home; $2,500 per year for a family on relief, and $3,500 per year for a criminal in a state prison. What would the one mili cost in dollars and cents? A tax increase of one mili would mean a hike of $1 per $1,000 of state equalized valuation. For how long would the one mili tax be levied? This would be a charter lage, and would be levied as I long as the program is in 1 ation. or until another election I were held to void the millage. Would local schools have tol pay tuition for the studentsl they send to the area program? No, they would be admitted I tuition-free. Post-high school I students would pay a small fee. I Exactly what will be on thel ballot? I Two questions will be votedl on - a request for one mili for I operations, and permission to I borrow a sum not exceeding $5 I million to build and equip thel fncility. The funds to repay the I $5 million bonds will come from I the one mili. All registered voters may I vote on both issues, though the I ballots of non-property owners on the bonding issue will be kept separate from property owners and will be counted separately. This is because school districts are awaiting a U.S. Supreme Court decisión on a case which has challenged state laws which say that only f property owners may vote on bonding issues. This is the way Michigan's law reads.